WHEELING, W.Va. – The Gannon University Volleyball team advanced to the NCAA Division II Regional Finals with a 3-1 victory over Pitt-Johnstown on Friday, Dec. 1. The victory sends the Lady Knights to their second Sweet Sixteen appearance in the last three seasons. Gannon defeated Pitt-Johnstown, 25-14, 22-25, 25-17, 25-23.
The Lady Knights avenged a five-set loss to UPJ in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title match on Nov. 18. It was also the first time Gannon and Pitt-Johnstown met in the NCAA tournament.
The Lady Knights jumped out of the gate, 6-1, to start the first set. Pitt-Johnstown clawed back to within 9-8 before Gannon ripped off a 10-0 run that included four
Kelsey Ansec (Solon, Ohio/Solon) kills. Gannon went up, 19-8, and cruised to a 25-14 set victory.
Pitt-Johnstown edged Gannon in set two, 25-22, before Gannon bounced back in set three. Gannon owned an 11-10 lead before issuing an 8-2 run to extend the lead to 19-12. Gannon closed out the set with a kill from
Ashley Kerestes (Loves Park, Ill./Rockford Lutheran), winning the set, 25-17.
The fourth set was tight early on as the teams were tied at nine. Kerestes sparked a 7-2 run with a kill that gave Gannon a 16-11 lead. The Mountain Cats rallied back with an 8-2 run of their own to take the lead, 19-18.
Ally Smith (Penfield, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) tied it back up with a kill and
Ashley Beyers (Lanark, Ill./Eastland) gave Gannon a lead with another kill. Gannon pulled ahead, 24-21, and was trying to close the match out but Pitt-Johnstown responded with two-straight points to get back within one, 24-23. The two teams ensued with a rally that ended with Ansec delivering a rocket-shot that UPJ couldn't handle.
The Lady Knights edged the Mountain Cats 62-33 in the kill department.
Ansec led the Lady Knights with a match-high 24 kills. The 24 kills also tied a career-high for Ansec. It's also her 16
th consecutive match with double-digit kills.
Sophomore
Ally Smith (Penfield, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) picked up her team-leading 14
th double-double of the season. Smith recorded 18 kills and 17 digs in the match.
Maggie Wilhelm (Euclid, Ohio/Lake Catholic) led the Lady Knights with six blocks.
Rebekah Smith (Churchville, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) and Kerestes also added four apiece.
Gannon improved to 30-6 on the season with the victory. It's the sixth time in the program's 44-year history that Gannon eclipsed the 30-win plateau. Pitt-Johnstown ends its season at 27-9.
The No. 2-seeded Lady Knights will take on the No. 1-seed, Wheeling Jesuit, on Saturday for the right to head to the Elite Eight in Pensacola, Fla. Gannon last made an Elite Eight appearance in 1993 under head coach Gerry (Burbles) Vensel. Saturday's regional final will begin at 7 p.m. in Wheeling, W.Va.
The match-winning point to send the Lady Knights to the NCAA Regional Finals is below.
